Category: Medical computers

medical computers

Medical Computers Post Covid: What Did We Learn?

Michelle

Technology has always played a vital role in the medical field. Medical Computers have been used in hospitals and clinics for a long time, but their use has increased exponentially in recent years.

With the outbreak of Covid-19, the use of medical computers has grown even more.

There is no denying that medical computers have made our lives easier in many ways. They help us keep track of our patient’s medical histories, store and organize medical records, and even help us diagnose and treat patients.

However, there are also some negative points to using medical computers Links to an external site.. For example, they can be expensive and lead to errors if not used properly.

What is a Medical Computer?

A medical computer is a system that is used in the medical field. This computer is used to store and keep track of medical records, schedule appointments, and perform other tasks. Medical computers are also used to help doctors and nurses diagnose and treat patients.

What are the imported features of Medical Computers?

  • By definition, medical-grade computers must be tough and rugged, able to resist water, dust, and shocks.
  • Medical-grade computers should always be small enough to be moved around easily.
  • Medical-grade computers should be Antimicrobial.
  • Touch screens are a must.
  • Rugged medical computers should be powerful enough to handle physician applications and have significant memory and storage capacity.
  • Medical-grade computers should have the power to connect to healthcare information systems for easy access to electronic medical records.
  • Medical-grade computers should have robust security measures.
  • Medical computers must design to resist damage from shocks and vibrations, making them ideal for use in hospital settings.
  • Medical computers can be easily cleaned with disinfectant solutions, making them perfect for use in sterile environments.

How have medical computers been used during the Post Covid?

Medical computers have been used in various ways during the Covid pandemic. They have been used to help with diagnosis, treatment, and research.

One of the most critical ways medical computers have been used is in developing vaccines. Medical Computers have been used to model the Covid virus and to test potential vaccine candidates.

Medical computers Links to an external site.have been a valuable tool in the fight against Covid. They have helped us to understand the virus better and to track its spread. They have also helped to keep patients safe by ensuring that their data is well-organized and accessible. In the coming months, medical computers will continue to be essential to the fight against Covid.

In some cases, they have brought patients with Covid-19 back from the brink of death by monitoring their vital signs and providing life-saving treatment in real-time. Helped doctors quickly and accurately diagnose patients with Covid-19.

What lessons have we learned from using medical computers during the Post Covid?

  • The medical industry needs to be more transparent about its security vulnerabilities and potential risks.
  • The medical industry needs to be more responsive to the public’s concerns about privacy, security, and personal data protection.
  • Healthcare IT vendors must invest in improving the safety of their products and services, especially because many hospitals are still using outdated equipment that may not be capable of detecting or responding to new threats.
  • Hospitals need to implement strong policies requiring employees and patients to use strong passwords and PINs when accessing sensitive systems or databases, as well as ensure that employees are trained on how to do so effectively and safely (e.g., not using the same password for multiple systems).
  • They have been a shift toward using telehealth — or remote medicine — to treat chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma, which means that more people are getting consultations online instead of in person, which can be much quicker and less expensive than visiting a clinic every time you feel sick or injured.”
  • Foremost, we have seen the importance of having reliable and up-to-date systems. With the virus’s rapid spread, we have had to rely on computer systems to help us make quick decisions about treatment and containment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Covid pandemic has forced us to re-evaluate our use of medical computers. We have learned that medical computers need to be more user-friendly, easier to sanitize, and more robust. In addition, we need to be better at managing patches and updates to ensure that our systems are secure.

medical pc

Medical PC Defined

Michelle

Medical PC Definition

Medical PCs or medical computers are developed with the healthcare industry in mind. To be called medical grade, a personal computer for the healthcare industry must carry the UL/IEC60601-1 certification. After passing rigorous safety and performance tests, medical computers earn IEC 60601-1 certification. Validation is an additional safety measure that guarantees the medical gadget will not damage its users. 

Use of Medical Computers for EHR

Although some doctors still prefer paper charts, electronic health records (EHRs) have quickly become the industry standard. Financial incentives for Medicare providers who show substantial use of technology for EHR were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

A medical-grade computer needs to handle health records quickly to finish a patient visit on time. In addition, HIPAA compliance under the HITECH Act of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is also required, as patient privacy is becoming increasingly important.

Try to find a PC that has these features:

  • The IP65 rating for dust ingress and low-pressure water jets ensures that the medical computer can withstand normal use in a hospital environment. When it comes to liquid ingress, a medical PC with this grade can be sprayed and wiped clean without fear of damaging the internal components.
  • Special medical computers pioneered the introduction of a medical-grade computer with hot-swappable batteries by becoming the first computer manufacturer to do so. To meet the specific requirement of medical cart device integration, this function is well positioned to help the healthcare sector.

Surgical and Diagnostic Applications

The imaging capabilities of medical-grade computers have the potential to aid in patient care. For example, computers with the right graphics processing unit, screen resolution, central processing unit speed, and software compatibility can visualize a patient’s inside organs to aid surgeons during surgery. Moreover, diagnostic MRI and CT images are shown on computers, giving radiologists crucial data.

Diagnosticians can now see more clearly than ever, thanks to software and high-definition screen advancements.

Why do doctors need a computer?

It is common practice for doctors to inquire about a patient’s medical background, including previous diagnoses, current health issues, and medications. A database can be used to store this data effectively. Computers can also manage patient records, including prescriptions and payments.

How do nurses use computers in patient care?

The electronic health record (EHR) is a computerized record of a patient’s medical history that includes details about the care they’ve received from their nurses, the interventions they’ve had, and the patient’s response and progress toward their healthcare goal.

Did you know that most employees receive an average of 14 malicious emails per day? Or that phishing peaks around holiday times?

Email spoofing is a huge threat. Almost 95% of all phishing attacks are done through email, which makes it crucial to protect this in and outgoing channel. How can you do that?

This is where DMARC comes in. DMARC is a technical protocol that typically handles emails that aren’t authenticated, protecting email senders and receivers from spoofing, phishing, and fraud.

But does it do that? Let’s find out.

What Is Email Spoofing?

Email spoofing is a phishing technique used by would-be hackers to trick users like company employees into thinking a message came from a trusted entity or person when it didn’t.

Usually, the sender forges a trusted subject line like “Stimulus Cancellation Request Approved” or “Changes to your health benefits” to invite users to open the email, which they usually do because they often don’t inspect the header closely.

So, because they think the email is genuine, they open malware-embedded attachments, share sensitive data, and even back account details with these potential hackers.

Why Does Email Spoofing Happen?

Email spoofing happens because of the way email is designed. Let us explain. Usually, outgoing emails are assigned a specific sender address, but there’s no way to detect if the address is fake or legit.

As a result, fake emails can arrive in your inbox without you being the wiser.

Fortunately, your server, email service provider, and antimalware software can detect and filter suspicious-looking messages. And one of these solutions is DMARC.

What Is DMARC?

Domain-based Authentication Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is a technical protocol — you can think of it like a gateway — that protects you from suspicious-looking emails.

It runs all emails you receive through DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) and the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) to protect you from hackers, spoofers, and fraudsters.

DMARC allows you to specify actions you’d like to take when an email fails SPF and DKIN authentication. This is done by using three different DMARC policies, including:

● P=none Policy — It keeps an eye on any DMARC-failed email, but it won’t stop that email from arriving in your inbox.

● P=quarantine Policy — It will send all DMARC-failed emails into your spam folder, reducing the chances of information leaks.

● P=reject Policy — It will reject DMARC-failed emails, stopping them from reaching your inbox.

How Can DMARC Protect You From Email Spoofing?

As mentioned above, DMARC tells email servers what to do when they receive a suspicious-looking message from someone outside your organization. Here’s how it does that:

● DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) — It embeds a unique digital sign into every sent email. Receivers use the sign to verify the authenticity of the email and ensure it wasn’t forged during transit.

● Sender Policy Framework (SPF) — It allows you to authorize IP addresses allowed to send emails to you. Your server can then identify whether the message you received came from a server allowed by you.

Both of these email authentication methods increase the safety of your inbox and decrease the chances of you encountering malware in emails.

The Bottom Line

Spoofers are always looking for ways to get into your domain. But DMARC can’t stop them in their tracks, stopping information leaks, increasing legitimate email delivery, and saving you thousands of dollars in losses.

So, configure and monitor your domain’s DMARC policy to limit your exposure to email spoofing. You never know when you might need it.

medical pcs

Waterproof Properties of Medical PCs

Michelle

Computers have become the backbone of the health care industry. They allow medical workers to efficiently process patient cases, control devices that perform CT scans, ultrasounds, MRIs, or blood tests, and help doctors show patients their X-rays to explain their situation.

And given the technical demands of the health care environment, purchasing waterproof medical PCs that can withstand incidents like blood and vomit splatter is crucial. But how can you know if a medical PC is waterproof?

Let’s find out. 

Why Do Medical PCs Need to Be Waterproof?

As medical PCs are used in ICUs, emergency rooms, and wards, they’re often exposed to fluids like vomit, blood, or urine that could penetrate inside and damage the motherboard or processor of the computer, rendering it unusable. 

And this is not a farfetched scenario. 

In reality, liquid spills are par for the course in hospitals, so the likelihood of liquid exposure is very high. Also, a medical PC that shuts down in the middle of an operation can be disastrous for the patient, surgeon, and hospital. 

So, all medical PCs must have an IP65 rating, which means they must come with sealed bezels and zero crevices that could lead to water intake. 

3 Properties That Make Medical PCs Waterproof

Medical PCs aren’t like consumer-grade PCs, which have dozens of crevices through which water can sneak in. But what makes them different?  

  1. They Have Sealed Bezels 

Unlike conventional PCs, medical PCs come with sealed front bezels that prevent water from penetrating the PC components. 

As a result, the likelihood of the PC’s processor being soaked in an accidental liquid spill decreases, allowing surgeries and screenings to continue in even the dampest environments.   

  1. They Have Waterproof Panels

Hospitals and other health care environments are pits of bacteria, so medical PCs have to be scrubbed every few hours with antibiotic and antiviral solutions to keep infections at bay. 

As a result, their outer surfaces have to be water-resistant so water doesn’t seep into the inner components when they are scrubbed using chlorine-water solutions or alcohol. 

  1. They Have an IP65 Rating

An IP65 rating protects an appliance against condensation, water spray, and low-pressure water jets from all directions. Medical PCs usually have an IP65 rating, which means they’re protected against accidental liquid spills in the hospital environment. 

The Bottom Line

The hospital environment is a hotbed of liquid spills and constant antimicrobial scrubbing, so any PC used in a health care setting is likely to get soaked at one time or another. And if the PC isn’t waterproof, it may be damaged beyond repair. 

Thus, medical PCs, such as Tangent’s Medix M27T and Medix M24T, should have sealed bezels, an IP65 rating, and waterproof panels to withstand the hospital environment. 

medical computer lifetime

How long do Medical Computers Last?

Michelle

Medical computers have unique features and specifications compared to consumer grade computers. The lifetime of healthcare-specific medical computers depends on the quality of the manufacturer. Durable components and sound engineering help determine the longevity of units. Like all electronic devices, there are brands and companies that healthcare administrators have come to rely on for performance and quality. 

Medical Computer Lifespan

Medical computer lifespans are important considerations for healthcare facilities. New medical computers have a learning curve. Familiarity with the unit, such as new features, port locations or display arrangements require time for integration. Medical facilities may provide staff training and require additional user support, typically in the first few weeks.  Annual medical computer replacements would cause too frequent waves in facility performance and efficiency. Many healthcare facilities, have flexible intervals in place for medical computer replacement times, thus finding a unit that will function properly until the next replacement interval is imperative. For most healthcare environments, three to five years is the replacement interval.

Medical computers by Tangent have a lifespan of 5 years plus.

Sooner replacements, due to medical computer failure can result in unplanned spending and frustration. Identifying a reliable medical computer manufacturer is imperative for reliability and to prevent workplace mishaps.

Tangent offers computers made specifically for healthcare institutions meeting the timeline for unit replacement.

Indications for a New Medical Computer

Beyond the typical three to five year medical computer replacement mark, there are indications to be aware of that signify its time for a medical computer change.

1. Software Compatibility: If your medical computer no longer supports your operating system, it’s time for a change. Receiving alerts and warnings that applications are no longer compatible with your medical computer operating system can indicate you need to replace your medical computer.

2. Poor Performance: Medical facilities are provide lifesaving services and there is no greater place for the need of efficiency. When your medical computer begins to operate sluggishly and unable to multitask rapidly, it’s time for a computer change.

3. Security Issues: At any time, receiving security warnings requires a call to your IT department. Patient confidentiality and sensitive information can never be jeopardized. Security vulnerabilities from failed software updates stemming from compatibility issues can indicate it’s time for a medical computer replacement.

Superior Craftsmanship by Tangent

Tangent medical computers use only the highest quality components. There is no stone left unturned when it comes to selecting the best-in-class CPUs, operating software, RAM, processors, graphics cards, touchscreens, ports.

In business for over 30 years, healthcare administrators have come to trust Tangent medical computers for reliability, efficiency, and quality. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, combined with top-of-the-line engineering, Tangent’s medical computers are powerhouse units providing reliable performance for years. 

Contact Tangent today +1 800 342 9388.

Do medical computers need touchscreens

Do Medical Computers Need Touchscreens?

Michelle

When people refer to their “phone” these days, it’s more than likely they mean their “smartphone.” Smartphones have become ubiquitous in our society, and are becoming increasingly necessary for everyday life. But what caused these smartphones to take over their older cousins? One of the defining features that played a large role is the humble touchscreen. Touchscreens have become a must-have for phones for the ease of use they create. As  the adoption of smartphones and even tablets into the workplace have shown, touchscreens play an important role in the evolution of technology and how we use it. But what about their use in the medical field, do medical computers need touchscreens?

Why Medical Computers Need Touchscreens

Medical computers work perfectly in the medical setting. As such, we can broaden this question out a bit more and consider whether computers need touchscreens. On a smartphone, touchscreens allow for a style of control that mouses and keyboards lack: gestures. 

A gesture refers to the ways in which your touch(es) can be interpreted by a touchscreen enabled phone, tablet, or computer. For instance, you’ve probably “pinched” your phone’s screen before to zoom out on a photo — that’s a type of gesture. Standard computers are also capable of zooming out on a photo, but often have dedicated buttons or keyboard shortcuts to make these functions happen. With touchscreen computers, these gestures come across as second nature to end users. Because they are routinely using touchscreens on their phones in their daily lives, the shortcuts encapsulated in their gestures come as natural.

In a literal sense, no, medical computers do not NEED touchscreens. However, when taking into consideration ease of use, efficiency and practicality, the need for touchscreen medical computers is compelling.

With touchscreen computers, staff are able to interact with computers in a much more intuitive fashion than they could do with mouse and keyboard shortcuts. This can lead to increased staff productivity. 

Versatility 

medical computers

Touchscreens are completely optional, there are no drawbacks to the user experience with the inclusion of one on a medical computer. Medical computers with touchscreens like the Medix T22B are completely capable of being used with a mouse and keyboard. Users who may be less inclined to use touchscreens can treat the screen just like any other monitor. Staff will fall into a mix of using both the touchscreen and their mouse and keyboard fluidly to accomplish tasks. Computers with touchscreens allow doctors and nurses to quickly zoom in on data or pick information cells in EHR software with just a tap.

Stay Progressive with Your Medical Equipment Selection

Gen Z is hitting the workforce in increasing numbers, taking their intimate knowledge of smartphones and computers with them. By selecting medical computers with touchscreens for your hospital, you are helping improve the way your medical staff can perform their job. For more information, contact Tangent Sales today.

RFID Ready Medical Computers

RFID Ready Medical Computers

Tangent Writing Team

What Is RFID?

RFID stands for Radio-Frequency Identification. The technology standard is made up of RFID tags and readers. These tags have small radio receivers and transmitters inside them. When in contact with a reader, the tag will respond and transmit information it is carrying to the reader. 

These tags can be used for a wide variety of tracking applications across the hospital. One area in which they can be used is in the tracking of patients in the hospital. Patients can have tags built right into their wristbands. These wristbands can then be used to access various doors and areas in the hospital. Your facilities team can set up each wristband to allow for certain privileges and access to specific areas. With these tags, you can ensure that the right people are in the hospital in the right areas. 

Medical Computers With Wireless Readers

RFID readers are the other half of the RFID equation. They pick up the information from tags and display it on devices. Many medical computers rely on clunky RFID reader adapters. These adapters take up ports on the medical computer, as well as desk space. Further, they are prone to being accidentally disconnected and lost.

22b-24b-main-new-medical-computer

Medical computers like the Medix 22B feature an integrated SSO RFID. This reader allows doctors and nurses to quickly and easily sign onto the medical computer with ease. They can simply wave their enabled badge to the medical computer’s reader to gain access to their computer. This solves two problems in one. 

First, your medical staff need strong, long, and complex passwords. By having your IT department tie badges to safe passwords, your hospital can have an increased layer of cyber security. Second, this allows your medical staff to have long passwords without having to remember them exactly or input them slowly everytime they access their computer.

RFID Ready Medical Computers

RFID tags and readers are quickly becoming a required tool in every workplace, including the hospital. Medical computers with built-in readers help your hospital stay on top of the future and prepare for what’s next. Make sure your hospital has the right tools by calling Tangent Sales today and asking about their range of RFID enabled devices.

HygienicComputers

Hygienic Medical Computers

Tangent Writing Team

Cleanliness remains a top priority for hospitals everywhere. Since the introduction of handwashing into the medical field, efforts to curb disease spread in the hospital have been largely successful. Still, medical institutions must remain vigilant in their hygienic practices to ensure that the risks to patients are minimized. Hospitals need quality medical computers that help to create a safe and clean environment for both staff and patients.

Why Medical Computer Hygiene Matters

Your doctors and nurses are constantly moving from one room to the next in your hospital. Throughout their busy day, they visit numerous different patients and co-workers. While they may not directly come into contact with each other, they no doubt all use the same medical computer in any given room. These computers become a breeding ground for harmful pathogens as staff use them throughout the workday. 

But not all medical computers are afflicted by this issue. Many of them feature an antimicrobial coating to help protect against microbes. 

Antimicrobial Coatings Add A Layer Of Protection

An antimicrobial coating mitigates the growth of pathogens on whatever surface it is spread on. These coatings work along the same lines as naturally occurring antimicrobial materials, like copper. Antimicrobial materials  interrupt a bacteria cell’s respiratory and metabolic functions. Over a brief period of time, this leads to the cell being unable to create energy and proliferate.

Medical grade computer for emergency room us, the KW line from Tangent

Medical computers like the KW15 from Tangent feature an antimicrobial coating across its surfaces. The KW15’s enclosure mitigates the growth of pathogens, which helps create a safer hospital environment overall. The cast aluminum enclosure is also built to last, and features a fanless cooling system. The KW15 also features other sanitary features, such as a washable touchscreen to help make it even more hygienic.

Washable Medical Computers

Doctors and nurses routinely wash their hands throughout a shift to minimize the risk of spreading pathogens around the hospital. Likewise, medical computers should be routinely cleaned to minimize disease transmission. Computers from Tangent feature antimicrobial enclosures to help mitigate this transmission. But they also sport IP rated touchscreens as an added layer of protection.

The Medix 22 from Tangent features an IP65 rated touchscreen that can be easily cleaned. This touchscreen can withstand standard cleaning agents without damage to the screen. Doctors and nurses can give their computers a quick cleanup before and after use. Combined with its antimicrobial layer, the Medix 22’s IP65 rated touchscreen can give medical staff peace of mind about the sanitation efforts being employed.

Customizable Medical Grade Tablets

Medical Tablets

Michelle

EN 60601-1 Certification 

Among the most important features for medical grade devices is EN 60601-1 Certification. Medical tablets with the certification are shielded from Electromagnetic interference both from receiving and also from producing it. EN 60601-1 is a certification that distinguishes a medical tablet from a consumer grade medical tablet. 

Medical Tablets with Antimicrobial Surfaces 

When you think of tablets, you probably first think of the ones available to consumers. These tablets are designed for home use, but have increasingly found a home in the commercial and creative world. Despite their growing popularity in the workforce, they have some fatal flaws that make them a poor choice for use in the medical world. For starters, nearly all of them lack an antimicrobial enclosure.

An antimicrobial enclosure is a medical grade tablet casing that mitigates the growth of pathogens across the tablet. These coatings help reduce the spread of germs in a hospital. Traditional tablets lack these coatings, and can pose a serious risk as they are passed around from one worker to another. 

Medical Tablets also feature components designed to run medical programs. The T13 from Tangent can be customized to include an Intel Core I7 Kaby Lake processor. This processor is more than fast enough to run all the electronic health records and medical programs your hospital employs with ease. 

With up to 32 gigabytes of RAM, the T13 from Tangent is a multitasking machine. It can run numerous applications at once without lag. Doctors and nurses won’t have to pick and choose which programs they can run, they can simply trust that their equipment is capable of doing what is needed.

Customization Options For Medical Grade Tablets

Tangent offers a wide range of customization options for their medical grade tablets. This helps ensure that they can be a dynamic part of your hospital’s arsenal, capable of taking on multiple roles. The T13 from Tangent can be customized with different processors and amounts of RAM. Tangent’s T13 also features hot-swap batteries. 

Hot-swap batteries from Tangent are removable batteries that can be replaced without interrupting a medical grade tablet while in use. Simply remove one battery, put it on an external charger, and swap out a freshly charged one to have continuous use of the tablet.

The ability to operate redundantly makes the T13 great for pop-up clinics or other non stationary applications. 

The T13 features a front facing camera, RFID reader, Barcode Scanner, and much more. There are countless roles for the T13 in any hospital. Some applications can be to catalog inventory in the pharmacy, keep track of medication en route to patients, and serve as a communication device. 

Customize Your Hospital With Tangent

Tangent’s line of medical grade tablets are designed to help keep your hospital running efficiently. For more information about Tangent’s tablet offerings, contact Tangent today.

medical pcs with removable batteries

Medical PC With Removable Batteries

Admin

Hospitals are dynamic workplaces. As this pandemic has shown, hospital administrators need to be willing to change up their strategies constantly. This may mean bringing on more staff at some times, or completely shifting around a hospital’s layout in others. Many hospitals have had to set up popup clinics in their parking lot during this pandemic. These clinics provide testing, vaccinations, and more. While some hospitals were prepared to create such popups, others were not. They had to use their office medical computers attached to external power generators in these outdoor clinics. This sort of situation and others can be streamlined with the use of a medical PC with removable batteries.

Why Removable Batteries Are Important In A Medical PC

Hospitals have adapted to the digital era at a breakneck pace. Over the course of the pandemic, they have transformed primary care with Telehealth, and created new methods of treatment. Nurse medical carats have seen an immense evolution. Each one is now equipped with a medical PC in order to run various programs. The medical PC has become a vital platform for these carts, allowing nurses to use a variety of tools that are plugged into it.

But one major downside to these carts using medical computers now is their reliance on battery power. A cart typically has a battery, or their medical PC does, that requires time out of service to recharge. This can effectively cut your fleet’s usable time by a third or more. But with Removable batteries that can be swapped out, your fleet of carts can enjoy 100% battery uptime. If a medical PC can store multiple batteries, a nurse can simply swap out a low one for a fresh one, and then place the low one on an external charge. 

Tangent employs this hot-swap battery technology in their lineup of medical computers. A Tangent medical PC is careful to drain one battery at a time, instead of drawing from two or more simultaneously. This helps make charging simply and easy for staff.

Medical PC With Hot-Swap Batteries

Medix T24B

The Medix T24B is one such medical PC from Tangent. The T24B comes with three Hot-Swap Batteries. These batteries can be routinely swapped out to keep the T24B running for hours. This makes it perfect for popup clinics, where it can run entirely on battery power for the entire work day.

Other medical computers like the E22B can run on a 24/7 basis thanks to its hot-swap batteries. The E22B is perfect for medical carts, and features standard VESA mounting to fit anywhere your hospital requires.

E22B and E24B from Tangent: built for emergency room use Medical PC
E24B from Tangent

Tangent: Built To Run 24/7

Not every medical PC is built equal. Many are unable to run on a 24/7 basis without being plugged into an outlet. Tangent has designed medical computers that are up to the task of operating whenever and wherever they are needed. For more information, contact Tangent Sales today.

Medical Grade PCs With New And Legacy Ports

Medical Grade Computers With New And Legacy Ports

Michelle

The medical grade computers of today look a lot different from their predecessors. They are smaller, faster, and more hygienic than earlier computers. While you have probably noticed most of these changes, there is one subtle area that is easy to forget: input and output ports. Input and output ports, shortened as IO ports, have changed dramatically in the last 20 years. USB ports and cables have taken over as the dominant method to transfer data. However, many devices still use legacy ports, such as serial ports. These serial ports support many medical devices that hospitals continue to rely on.

What Are Serial Ports?

Serial ports work in much the same way that standard USB ports do today from a functional perspective. Serial ports can be used to connect printers, PC peripherals, and legacy medical devices to medical grade computers. From a technical perspective however, they differ drastically.

The term “serial ports” actually refers to a collection of different standard ports, much like how there are different versions of USB in use today. These ports are also referred to as COM ports, however this term actually refers to the software mark for reading the hardware port itself.  Three COM port standards were widely used, with the most common being the RS-232 version. This version is sometimes also referred to as RS-485/422. 

Do Medical Grade Computers Still Need RS-232 Ports?

RS-232 ports were once widely used for data transfer between devices. As USB took over serial communication ports, RS-232 ports were removed from motherboards to make room for them. Likewise, devices switched over to USB cables to better connect to new medical grade computers. 

While the transition to faster USB largely made sense, in some niche areas it did not. Medical devices that were meant to last for years were built with COM ports in mind. These devices are still compatible with modern medical grade computers in every other regard, but required adapters. 

While adapters are certainly fine for most applications, they can become a hassle when they inevitably become lost. As adapters require USB ports, there’s a good chance that doctors will have to unplug them when not using their legacy devices. Before long, doctors lose these adapters, giving IT more headaches.

Medical Grade Computers With Serial Ports

Not every medical grade computer company stopped including these ports, however. Many Tangent medical computers still come with legacy ports like RS-232. The Medix T-24B comes equipped with 4 DB9 serial ports standard. Doctors can make use of up to four legacy medical devices at once, without needing to keep track of a variety of dongles to do so. 

  • Medix T24B

The KW Series from Tangent also features 2 RJ48 Serial ports for legacy devices as well. With a wide range of IO ports to choose from, Tangent’s lineup of medical grade computers has something for every medical device.

Keeping Legacy Equipment Online

Tangent medical grade computers are built with the reality of hospitals in mind. Sometimes your doctors and nurses will use older equipment that functions fine on a routine basis. Tangent’s computers are designed to keep this legacy equipment functional, and your hospital moving. For more information, contact Tangent Sales today.